Quarantine – the ultimate Svadyaya (Self-Enquiry)

I landed back in the UK from Ibiza on the dawn of a new quarantine.
 
With two young children and – fortunately – a beautiful cottage on the side of a village, which overlooks vegetable gardens full of butterflies.
 
And, In spite of landing into an area of outstanding natural beauty I watched my ego mind spiral into frustration, anger, resistance of every teenage type
I became the victim of the circumstances….  I felt trapped, en-caged and enraged.  I lobbied the local MP and checked the WhatsApp streams every 2 hours to see how the government talks were unfolding. 
 
And then…
 
* I reminded my ego mind that I, me, Larah, personally, had made the choice to book the flights at exactly that time, on exactly that flight, and I had felt guided to do so. 
 
* I reminded my ego mind that, if I could surrender this resistance, I could, instead EMBRACE this opportunity to fully retreat, to ground and earth into England’s deep, replenishing green grass, soothing summer sunshine and wise and ancient trees.
 
 I chose to celebrate this opportunity for deep Svādhyāya – the Sanskrit term which describes one of the yogic Niyamas, which means self-study, self-observation.  
 
* Arising early each morning (6am) to run, practice my yoga and meditate just after dawn, before the rest of the village arose.
I chanted mantras and meditated on the GIFTS that this situation was giving me, and enquired about the higher purpose of this experience, for me, at this precise moment in time. I wrote and mind-mapped and doodled and reflected, 
 
* I focussed on appreciating and loving every moment, every opportunity to receive the food being delivered, to pick the fresh beetroot from the garden, to soften with my children into a gentler rhythm without driving a car or interacting with too many other people. 
* I could see the magic of this time again and all the butterflies and nature just blossoming and blooming and thriving. All around me.  
 
* I could feel myself “dropping in”, my nervous system restoring despite regular high-wattage screams from my dynamic golden three year old, 
 
* Sleeping deep and rising with the dawn, this state of deep rest creates space for new inspirations to arise  Literally to breathe deep – t”ins spire” and to see things and life more clearly, to feel deeply aligned with my purpose, with visions and ideas and new “inspirations” arising. 
 
My overall sense of presence, expanded and life-became-mindfulness… walking with feet barefoot on the grass and the earth daily, rooting and grounding into the here and my patience with the children, which, lets be honest, is the ultimate “litmus test” deepened and expanded too.  Because, as I softened and became more aware of my own life state, moment-by-moment, I could be more present with and connected to them.  Because in the end, our children, are our ultimate life gurus – the clearest ponds that provide mirrors for our self-reflection.
 
And I genuinely feel deeply grateful, that spirit, creator: LIFE! gave me this extra opportunity to remember this.
 
 
Wishing you ALL well in your own inner-journeys of Svadhyaya….    
 
 
With love and blessings.